Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [111]
Restaurant Los Angeles (79-8240; Bolognesi 266; menús from S13, mains S8-24; noon-11pm) This meticulously run Peruvian and international eatery is known for especially delicious soups and salads, as well as tasty vegetarian options. It’s owned by a local tour guide who speaks French and English.
Don Hono (52-4250; Bolognesi 265; menús from S10; lunch & dinner) This venerable restaurant doesn’t waste effort on atmosphere, but concentrates on serving hearty fare with farm-fresh produce and mean pisco sours. It’s a few notches above other touristy eateries around the plaza.
Grumpy’s (95-607-3295; Lima 174; mains S15-25; 7am-11pm) Close to the bus stations, this thatched-roof eatery gets rave reviews from starving and homesick backpackers. In addition to traditional criollo fare, it also offers filling sandwiches and breakfasts.
Also recommended:
La Taberna (52-3803; Lima 321; menús S6, mains from S15; lunch & dinner) It’s a hole-in-the-wall place: the scribbles covering every inch of wall are a testament to its popularity. Try the spicy fish, challengingly named ‘Pescado a lo Macho’ (‘macho fish’) or chose from a list of vegetarian options.
La Kañada (52-253; Lima 160; menús S10, mains S12-16; 8am-11pm) Handy to the bus stations, this old standby still serves tasty Peruvian food. A decent list of cocktails includes algarrobina, a cocktail of pisco, milk and syrup from the huarango (carob) tree.
Getting There & Around
AIR
People who fly into Nazca normally fly over the Nazca Lines and return the same day. Both Aero Condor Perú (52-1182; www.aerocondor.com.pe; Hotel Nido del Cóndor, Carr Panamericana Sur Km 447) and Aerodiana (in Lima 01-447-8540, 01-445-7188; www.aerodiana.com.pe) offer overflight tour packages for small groups departing from Lima with advance reservations.
BUS & TAXI
Nazca is a major destination for buses on Carr Panamericana Sur and is easy to get to from Lima, Ica or Arequipa. Bus companies cluster at the west end of Calle Lima, near the óvalo and about a block towards town on the same street. Buses to Arequipa generally originate in Lima, and to get a seat you have to pay the Lima fare.
Almost all services to Lima (S50 to S86, eight hours), Arequipa (S70 to S100, 10 to 12 hours) and for those heading to Chile, Tacna (S70 to S103, 13 to 15 hours), leave in the late afternoon or evening. Those bound for Arequipa will often stop en route upon request at Chala (S15, three hours) and Camaná (S46, seven hours). Located on Av Los Incas, Cruz del Sur (52-3713) and Ormeño (52-2058) have a few luxury buses daily to Lima. Intermediate points such as Ica and Pisco are more speedily served by smaller, económico (cheap) bus companies, such as Flores and Soyuz (52-1464), which run buses to Ica every half-hour from Av Los Incas. These buses will also drop you at Palpa (S3, one hour).
To go direct to Cuzco (S120 to S180, 14 hours), several companies, including Cruz del Sur, take the paved road east via Abancay. This route climbs over 4000m and gets very cold, so wear your warmest clothes and bring your sleeping bag on board if you have one. Alternatively, some companies also offer direct buses to Cuzco via Arequipa.
For Ica, fast colectivos (S15, two hours) and slower minibuses leave when full from near the gas station on the óvalo. On the south side of the main roundabout, antiquated colectivos wait for enough passengers to make the run down to Chala (S15, 2½ hours).
A taxi from central Nazca to the aerodrome, 2km away, costs about S4.
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SACACO
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About 100km south of Nazca in the desert is Sacaco, where the sand is made of crushed shells; keep your eyes peeled for fossilized crocodile teeth. There is a small museum (admission S5) with a fossilized whale in the middle of nowhere. The 3km road to Sacaco is marked by a sign at Km 539 on Carr Panamericana Sur. You can hire a taxi from Nazca to Chala with a stop at Sacaco (S90 to S100), but the museum’s opening hours are erratic and it may be closed when you show up. Operators in